The FAA written tests (also known as the FAA Airman Knowledge Tests) are one of those things that every pilot dreads. They’re one of those big ugly barriers that stand in between you and your license — and all too often, student pilots wait until the very last minute to take them, adding a huge headache to their training process.
But you don’t need to fear the written.
In fact, as I’ll show you today, a simple study tactic can easily add 20% to your written test score in a single day…
The “dreaded” SFRA
Flying in the Washington D.C. Special Flight Rules Area — or SFRA — isn’t hard, but it does have some important differences from most other parts of the country.
This month, the folks at Potomac TRACON published a NOTAM covering changes to the way flight plans are filed to do pattern work in the SFRA. The changes are pretty minor overall, but the most notable one is the request that pilots include a Fix Radial Distance for their airport in the Route section of the flight plan. That FRD ensures that the National Airspace System computers recognize the flight plan. The FRD stays the same for any airport you’re doing pattern work at.
They also want to see “PATTERN” in the flight plan remarks.
The image below, taken from the NOTAM shows what an example SFRA pattern flight plan at Tipton Airport (KFME) would look like:
This example, from the NOTAM, shows what an SFRA pattern work flight plan at FME would look like.
The requested changes from Potomac are pretty minor — and for those of us who typically file via ForeFlight, it’ll be as easy as doing it once and then copying the flight plan for future pattern work flights.
If you’re not used to flying in the SFRA, I realize it can be a little daunting — even for professional pilots! But if you simply avoid it, you’re missing out on some fantastic airports and a great way to get across the Chesapeake Bay.
If you’re an area pilot looking to get more comfortable with flying VFR in the SFRA, feel free to contact me to set up a familiarization flight and learn the tricks of flying around the nation’s capitol.
One of the biggest perks of being an instrument rated pilot is being able to grab a pop-up IFR clearance if you need to get yourself out of a sticky situation. Thing is, while most IFR pilots know that a pop-up clearance is part of their bag of tricks, few have ever actually used one.
Cue this great video I stumbled across from Jason Schappert of ground school website MzeroA.com:
In the video, Jason finds himself stuck on top of a low cloud layer while he and his wife were filming a video for their ground school series. So they took the opportunity to get a pop-up clearance, followed by flying an ILS approach to minimums.
It’s a pretty cool real-world example of why it’s a great idea to get an instrument rating — and a good refresher if you’re an instrument-rated pilot who hasn’t given pop-up clearances much thought in a while. Definitely worth a watch!
We use checklists to fly planes — why not use checklists to figure out how close you are to achieving your license or rating too?
While all of the requirements for the FAA’s certificates and ratings are found in part 61 of the FARs, the raw regulations can be a little hard to parse at times. Plus, it’s cumbersome to pull out your copy of the FAR/AIM if you’re partway through training and trying to figure out how many more “boxes” you need to check off to meet the minimum requirements for your ticket.
So, if you’re training for a private, commercial, or CFI certificate, I hope you’ll find these checklists useful:
Besides just the minimum aeronautical experience, I’ve also identified the endorsements you’ll need from your CFI to take the checkride. The FAR references are at the bottom of each checklist. As always, be sure to verify things for yourself to be sure that you’re qualified for the certificate you’re pursuing. Regs (and interpretations) do change.
Remember, you’re PIC of your flight training!
If you find these checklists helpful, feel free to share them with others…
It’s been a very long week of flying — but I managed to earn my initial flight instructor certificate. Looking back, the amount of work I’ve put into this has been insane. Becoming a CFI is a huge commitment, but it’s even nuttier if you also have a (more than) full-time job.
(Thankfully, I have a very tolerant wife.)
With the FAA’s toughest checkride accomplished, I’m planning on being able to get back to posting here on a more regular basis, starting with some of my favorite resources for new student pilots and CFI candidates just getting started on the journey. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, I need a nap…